If you can't stand the heat
by calloutyoru
Summary: ...don't tickle the dragon. Date Masamune forms an uneasy alliance with a bothersome pirate. Chōsokabe Motochika is intrigued by a man resembling a fire emitting dragon. It's the journey to Osaka, with a different twist. Focus on storms and heartbeats and adrenalin-inducing fights. Sword-fights. Fist-fights. Lip-fights. Demon/Dragon. or the other way around.
1. Chapter 1

**Full title**: If you can't stand the heat, don't tickle the dragon.

**Disclaimer**: I'm using characters already existing in the raw universe of Sengoku Basara. All I did was a little sidetracking, adding my fantasies to the original plotline; basically owning nothing of importance apart from my own dirty imagination.

**Rating**: M. Language, violence and explicit M/M sex.

******Genre:** Action, Hurt/Comfort ...and romance. Quite undeniably so.

**A/N:** Anime setting-wise, these events take place after Motochika is done in by Toyotomi and meets upon a certain Dragon lord. Following their first clash and the decision to team up, they spend some time together travelling towards Osaka; _obviously_ looking for trouble. I could not resist that set-up. God knows what those two would have done to each other without my meddling, after all.

Thanks to my beta-reader EudaimonArisornae, for comments and support!

**. . .**

**Chapter One**

Date Masamune rested in the shadow of a large, aged oak adorning a grassy hill, a bit aside the night camp. Leaning his back against the trunk of the ancient tree, he removed his helmet and lazily stretched out his long legs, and felt his muscles ache ever so slightly_._

Frowning, he rolled his shoulders tryingly in search of any other signs of physical weariness. Another weak sting of pain wandered along his spine at the movements. _Really? _It was not every day that he fought someone who left him in any state of discomfort. And out of all the warriors he had met, he had certainly not thought that the unchivalrous leader of the Chōsokabe clan would be one of those few.

"Che. Demon of the West Seas… Right. More like a caddish pirate brat, I'd say," he muttered silently, not sure whether to be annoyed or delighted. He could see that Chōsokabe Motochika was not just any kind of pirate. In fact, the silver-haired man was quite an impressive fighter – the Date Captain begrudgingly admitted to himself. The way he handled that odd anchor spear while exuding such overwhelming, completely untamed power was quite extraordinary. A flash of sudden excitement brushed Masamune's mind at the memory of their short, intense fight earlier.

However, it all ended rather differently than one might have thought. No one cut the other down. No one won. Instead, an _alliance _was formed. Masamune snorted soundlessly. Only the thought of it bothered him. Admittedly, he hosted quite an ambiguous attitude towards the pirate captain, and this new arrangement. The decision to join forces with the Chōsokabe clan was based purely on the coincidence that they were heading for the same destination, looking for the blood from the same man. _Osaka. Toyotomi_.

On the one hand, it was nothing but an idiotic, cowardly plan for spineless fools who did not have the courage to face their enemy on their own. On the other – it was a necessary measure to take in order to be successful. As much as it irritated Masamune, he had immediately realized he could benefit from this brief, spontaneous sort of alliance he had formed with Chōsokabe Motochika. He could use it both to achieve his long term goals and to accomplish his most urgent priority: regaining Katakura Kojuurou, his most trust strategist and right eye.

Clenching his fists tightly, Masamune tried to suppress the waves of fury which ravaged his body every time he began to think about that bastard Takenaka Hanbei, and the way Kojuurou had been _snatched_ from him_, _right in front of his eyes. As he had been through it before, he knew the feeling to be only strenuous for body and mind, and so he did his best to push it to the back of his head and focus on different matters.

Below him the camp was swarming with the usual evening activities; horses were groomed, cooking fires lit, tents raised and bottles of sake were brought out. Tonight there were some slight deviations though; seeing how not only did the camp host his usual bunch of loyal soldiers, but also the rough, ragged gang of pirates who represented the Chōsokabe clan. After some first tense moments, and a few brawls, the atmosphere seemed almost merry around the camp. New stories would be shared around the campfire tonight.

Absently turning to observe the inevitable process of the sun setting in the horizon, Masamune let out a small sigh. They did the right thing, taking this opportunity to drink. It seemed like one hell of a party was coming up.

A chuckle was heard from behind the tree.

"I didn't think the One-Eyed Dragon was one to ponder."

Masamune turned around at the voice, scowling as the Chōsokabe pirate captain appeared out of the shadows, nonchalantly resting his giant anchor spear over his shoulder. In his other hand he held the Date Captain's helmet in a teasing grip.

Masamune wondered for how long he had been observing him; he had not even noticed the helmet's disappearance. _Am I really that out of it?_ Annoyed, he rose and stepped forward to snatch the helmet from the pirate's hand. He was not in the mood for any kind of teasing.

An unusual scent filled the air around the silver-haired man; the vague but pleasant combination of sea and lavender. Masamune could not help but notice before he hastily stepped back.

"Tch. Mind your own business, pirate trash," he uttered shortly before turning around to prevent the other man from seeing any more of his expressions. Motochika laughed at this, obviously amused by his new ally's uneasiness and grumpy face.

"Oi, oi! I mean no offense!" he said, holding his hands up in a sign of benevolence. "In fact, I was coming here in hope of sharing a drink with you." Masamune reluctantly shifted his gaze to the silver-haired man, and saw him pulling out a bottle of sake from behind his back.

"Che. I don't recall making a promise like that," he retorted. "Don't make me remind you this is a temporary alliance formed merely because it's convenient for me at the moment. Don't mistake me for a friend." He put the helmet back on to fully emphasize the meaning of his words, and turned again to walk away.

Much to his dissatisfaction, Motochika did not seem discouraged in the least by this, as he continued to speak in an unaffected, almost cheerful tone.

"How cold. Next time we meet, we might as well be enemies."

"So?" Masamune asked irritably, unwillingly curious about the pirate's intentions.

"Didn't you say you'd take the gamble, Dokuganryuu? I'm making it fun on your own request," Motochika continued, raising one eyebrow playfully.

That much was true. As to why the pirate would memorize his words was unclear to Masamune; however the challenge in his voice was evident.

"And you don't play dirty tricks." Masamune repeated the pirate captain's previous words with scepticism. "I've yet to witness that. So why would I drink with you?"

"Because if you say you don't want to, I'll take it as you're simply afraid of drinking with a fully-fledged pirate such as myself," Motochika shrugged, and took some swaying steps backwards, while spinning the sake bottle carelessly in his hand.

His face fell into shadow under the oak, but Masamune could still discern the mocking grin that played over his facial features. The Dragon's blood temperature was suddenly close to the boiling point. If it was something that trigged his competitive mind, it was self-assertive displays like this. _Where did he get that cocky attitude from, anyway?_ Masamune fumed. He was not one to turn down a challenge, and certainly not one coming from that man.

Infuriated, but with the coldest of facial expressions carefully applied, he sat down under the oak again. Gesturing to the pirate to take a seat beside him, he returned the grin knowingly. _Well then._

"Let's dance, Demon of Onigashima" he said, fire playing in his one eye.

**. . .**

Motochika glanced at the man beside him.

The legendary One-Eyed Dragon of the Date clan had taken his helmet off again, and regained a more relaxed stance, leaning his back against the trunk of the tree. Lips attached to the mug of sake, and distantly sipping it while gazing out over the alley below them, his eye glistened provocatively in soft light of the sunset.

The laid-back attitude was of little meaning to Motochika though, as he could sense the strong awareness behind that calm face. The air around the Date Captain vibrated with intimidating, yet enticing, energy. Just being in this man's presence was somewhat overwhelming. He did not quite understand why, but it was most intriguing. It tickled the pirate's mind in a pleasant way, and he unconsciously took a ragged breath. He did not dislike it in the least.

When Masamune suddenly turned to give him an investigative look, Motochika realized he had been staring. Unable to look away, he met with that intense gaze and surprisingly felt a weak dizziness brush against his consciousness. The Date Captain let out a short burst of laughter.

"First you invite me to drink with you, then you don't seem to be in the mood for conversation. What's wrong?" he asked, his bangs sweeping over his forehead as they were caught by wind. "Seems you're all bark and no bite, Chōsokabe Motochika."

Motochika laughed at this. That deep voice and confident attitude pissed him off in a way he was not used to. He could not quite categorize the feeling since he felt a mixture of adrenalin and fury spreading through his veins. The laughter however, covered every trace of confusion.

"Did I offend you?" he grinned. "I didn't mean to, but since you kept quiet for so long I thought you might still be thinking about your precious lost right eye, and I wouldn't want to disturb you."

He hit the spot. He caught a brief look of uncertainty in the Dragon's eye before the man lowered his head with a crooked grin.

"I've managed without Kojuurou so far. I'm not some weak excuse for a general who's unable to protect his own back. Patronizing me will only cause you an early death. "

_He's dead serious_. A chill of anticipation ran down Motochika's spine.

Sweeping his sake, he averted his gaze with a silent smile. He needed to concentrate on keeping his cool. He would not lose it in front of this man. _Unless he wants to fight_. Motochika's muscles tensed at the thought. He would not mind experiencing the joy of fighting those six claws and feeling that indomitable force washing over him again. In fact, he wanted it pretty badly.

**. . .**

The sake was adding heat to Masamune's worn limbs as he took another sip, and tried to reorganize his thoughts. That silver-haired moron really knew how to piss him off; he could give him as much. _Why did he have to bring up that annoying topic? _ It became less clear why he had agreed to this supposedly friendly drinking rendezvous in the first place - it was obvious the Chōsokabe Captain could not be trusted.

He glanced at the other man who was drinking seemingly without a care in the world. The chance of him passing out because of the alcohol seemed close to zero too, since he had been gulping his sake for a good thirty minutes now without showing any signs of intoxication. _He's probably used to drinking. Hell, pirate life pretty much consists of drinking and games, right?_

The Date Captain, on the other hand, was feeling the effect of the alcohol, dull heat pulsing through his body and mind. The sensation would have been pleasant if he would not have been in the company of _that _man. Masamune's somewhat impaired intuition told him that losing any control in the pirate captain's presence would be a fatal mistake.

"I know you do."

The voice startled Masamune who had been lost in thoughts, and he turned to Motochika with a vigilant look. _Now what's he babbling about?_

"I've fought you and don't doubt you're fully capable of taking care of yourself and your army," the pirate continued thoughtfully. "However, Katakura Kojuurou would be a too valuable asset to be lost just like that. If you gave up on him without a fight, you wouldn't be the One-Eyed Dragon, I get that. And if that's what you've set your mind on, I also get that nothing can stop you. You'll take whatever you want, isn't that right?"

Masamune stared at the silver-haired sea captain incredulously. _Who does he think he's speaking to, acting all buddy-buddy like that? He truly is an insolent, bothersome idiot. _What was even more troubling though; was how those spoken words seemed to get under his skin and spread a pleasant kind of warmth. It irked him to no end.

Motochika insouciantly stared back, his one eye sparkling with mischief. And beyond that, something more – _honesty? _

Masamune inhaled deeply, contradicting feelings battling for dominance within his mind. He covered the confusion by turning his head away and stared blankly ahead.

If the pirate captain attempted to toy with him, he did not intend to respond. As far as Masamune was concerned, playtime should be about the raw and brutal reality of fights, and not within the distortion of minds. _Then again, if he wants another fight that wouldn't be so bad…_ He unconsciously slid his fingers along his katana, the exciting rush of a foreboding fight sending tingles along his arm.

**. . .**

Motochika sighed inwardly. He did not know why he felt the need to tell the Date Captain the truth. Perhaps it was because he wished for a fight so intensely, and he figured just speaking his mind would annoy the Dragon enough to make that happen. Or, it could be because he sensed an intriguing tenderness behind Masamune's surface of strength, and true to his habit, he immediately wanted to break that wall down. Curiosity was in his nature. And even though he wanted to keep his own composure, it was impossible not letting fragments of his true self slip out. (Also, he was not completely immune to alcohol - in opposite to what people might think. However, he was a natural talent when it came to cover up for whatever marks the sake might be leaving on him.)

Moreover, the reaction his words caused could not be described as anything less than… fascinating. He did not intend to take the word 'cute' in his mouth; he would rather not even form it in his mind -yet that weird, fluffy word seemed to be the most appropriate way to describe the present version of Date Masamune. He probably did not know it himself, but he currently wore a deep frown as he caressed his sword with impatient fingers, and his cheeks were slightly flushed.

A completely exciting, breathtaking sight, Motochika decided. _I want to see more of those expressions._

Even if the wish itself was not very specific, the silver-haired man's body understood it to be something quite clear, as it suddenly tensed up and started to move on its own accord. Motochika enjoyed the adrenalin pulsing through his veins as he leaned in close to the Date Captain and wordlessly pressed his lips against his ear.

His first thought had been to just upset the man, and to get an even more exciting reaction out of him to observe. Hence, Motochika did not expect this feeling.

The moment his lips made contact with Masamune's skin, he felt overwhelmed by heated emotions. It made him feel slightly vertiginous. He did not expect the skin of such a man to be so soft. What did it taste like, was it as sweet as the feeling of kissing it? No longer aware of his actions, he let his tongue run along the Date Captain's earlobe.

He pulled back fast enough to avoid Masamune's fist crashing down on his face. His heart thundered against his ribcage as he watched the furious head of the Date Clan gritting his teeth, unable to even speak in his state of rage. Pure joy filled Motochika's mind.

_At least I succeeded in getting a reaction._

**. . .**

Masamune's fist was shaking from slamming into the tree trunk instead of the silver-haired pirate's face. A smirk played in the corner of Motochika's mouth, slowly spreading in the same way uncontrolled rage spread through Masamune's blood.

His first reaction had been to check the area to make sure none of their men were present. Just the thought of anyone seeing him being friendly with the Chōsokabe Captain like _that, _made his face hot. Assured there really was no one looking from nearby, the waves of fury slowly took a hold of his body.

"What _the hell_ do you think you're doing?" he asked in a low voice, jagged with repressed anger.

"Oh, I got the feeling you might be in need of some comfort. Just a friendly display of affection, do you mind?" the pirate captain grinned, tilting his head to the side in a mocking gesture of innocence. "I didn't think you'd like it so much."

Vision hazed with red, and mind slightly fogged by sake, Masamune could no longer control his actions. Something about this man, that grin and that _sly,_ cocky attitude of his pissed him off beyond any normal limits. Lashing out at the pirate again, he let his body be controlled by the overwhelming, furious emotions.

His fist landed on the other man's cheek this time, but he did not even get to feel satisfied about it before his arms got caught and he was pressed down flat against the ground, rather harshly. His arms were held back in a firm grip behind his back, and the pirate used his weight to keep him pinned on his back, as he was practically lying on top of him.

The bizarreness of the situation froze the Date Captain's brain, leaving it temporarily inactive and wrapped in a soft layer of denial. Body and mind would not communicate, and although the grip around his wrists was not particularly tight, he suddenly found it impossible to move. That hot breath against his neck freaking paralyzed him.

"Getting violent, are we, Ryuu Oniisan?" Motochika spoke close to his ear, amusement audible in his voice. Some strands of silver hair fell forward and tickled the soft skin at his temple. _What? _The smell of sea and lavender filled Masamune's nostrils now, flooding his senses effortlessly.

"Get off me!" he hissed, anger and desperation dangerously merged in his voice.

"Why?" the silver-haired pirate asked bluntly, placing a gentle kiss on his neck. Masamune tensed at the feeling of the other man's lips against his skin again. It sent a hot, almost painful sensation down his spine, and inexplicable excitement spread its flickering wings in his chest as another kiss was pressed against his neckline. Heat was undeniably pooling down his crotch.

Brought back to reality by this sudden realization, he was able to gather the shattered shreds of strength and rationality left inside him – and push a sharp elbow into the pirate's chest. The pain caused a surprised Motochika to temporarily loosen his grip, and Masamune used it to his advantage, quickly freeing his other arm and grabbing his swords in a split second.

**. . .**

The One-Eyed Dragon of Oushuu had unsheathed his six swords.

Standing in front of him like this could be compared to being face to face with the Grim Reaper - that was about everything Motochika's brain managed to process before the claws of the Dragon were brought down on him.

Only thanks to his intuition, the pirate captain jumped back at the sudden attack, and escaped the death any normal man inevitably would have met, by a hair's breadth. Still, he could not completely avoid injury in his somewhat dazed state of mind, and three of the six claws sliced his chest deeply enough to make the blood spurt. Out of pure reflex he lifted his hand to touch the damaged area. Three parallel gashes stretched the length of his chest.

However, the Chōsokabe Captain did not feel any pain at this very moment. Captured in a dream of sorts, all that existed was the hypnotizing sight in front of him.

The Date Captain's fighting stance was strong, yet graceful. The wind rustled the fabric of his coat and hair slightly, though his legs stood firmly to the ground, making him look tall against the night sky. The six swords were pointed at him, shimmering in the moonlight, and so was his one eye. The malice radiating from that very eye slowly burned a hole in his chest. Somewhere in the back of his head, Motochika realized he would have been cut, even if he had not been this mindlessly aroused.

Lightheaded from the blood loss and out-of-control desire rushing through his body, at first he did not even notice his legs giving out on him, or that he suddenly was on his knees in front of the intimidating head of the Date clan. The insight slightly amused him, laughter close as he analyzed the feeling to be completely out of place.

"Ahaha..aaaargh ahah." The sound he was making was a mixture of laughter and a groan. He was _on his freaking knees_, blood dripping in an alarming speed and pooling on the ground in front of him. In front of a pair of feet.

_Why are you so damn close all of a sudden?_

Just exactly how much of his awareness had he lost already, Motochika wondered as the pain caught up with him, poking his misty mind sharply. _Oh right, I've been cut. Sliced nicely by those three claws._ He chuckled uncontrollably at the thought and lifted his gaze to meet with the burning eye of the Dragon.

"Nngh, wanna kill me? Now's a good opportunity, don't you think?"

He managed to sound assertive despite being on his knees in front of one of the most feared men of this world - quite an impressive feat. Then again, he was not called the Demon of the West seas for nothing. Fear was nothing but a pleasant feeling, sharpening his senses in a thrilling way. In fact, he was searching it. And what he searched stood in front of him; eyes hazed with something he could not quite understand anymore. _The world was slipping._

"Tsk. Good opportunity my ass." The deep voice flooded Motochika's mind. "You're gonna assist me in kicking Toyotomi's ass, that's the whole fucking point of this alliance, isn't it? What use will I have of a dead ally, idiot."

Trying his outmost to understand the meaning of these words, the pirate glanced up at the man in front of him in wonder. He could hardly see his face, as his vision was quickly darkening, but he imagined he saw something awfully similar to worry brush the Date Captain's facial features, before he turned around.

Catching a glimpse of a crescent moon and yellow feathers dancing through the sky, Motochika felt his mind tuning out the rest of his surroundings – and the night finally embraced him.

**To be continued.**


	2. Chapter 2

**. . .**

_Shit_.

Why did that pirate bastard have to go piss him off like that? Now what was he supposed to do. Masamune strode back and forward outside his tent. The effect of the sake was long gone, and he almost missed it as he glared back at the tent opening where the pirate captain's body was partly visible. He could see the bandaged chest rising with shallow breaths.

Damn, he had no choice but to take him back to his tent and clean him up if he wished to prevent an uproar among the pirate crew, Masamune realized that much. Still, it bugged him immensely he now had that bothersome man sleeping in _his _tent, under his freaking care. And no Kojuurou at hand to help him out either - this was bad.

Masamune cursed his own temper and this twisted, screwed up reality he now had to face. To get through this and to get Kojuurou back, he needed a healthy Chōsokabe Motochika by his side; as annoying as that thought might be, it was an inevitable truth.

Finally coming to a halt in his restless walk, he turned back to the tent with a dejected sigh. Right, he had decorated that very man's chest quite extraordinarily. _Victory does not taste as sweet when the consequences of it comes back biting your ass,_ he thought before laughing at his own distress. He needed to check on the wounds again.

As were most of the men who lead a soldier life, Date Masamune was familiar with medical treatment. He knew how to obstruct the flow of blood, reduce pain, prevent inflammations and in the worst case, gangrene. He could also stitch together a wound and lay healing bandages and brew a limited amount of medicines. It was simply necessary knowledge for someone in his line of work.

Therefore, he had not thought much of it when he cleaned the wounds on the Chōsokabe Captain's chest carefully before sewing them up neatly. Now he lifted the bandages slightly to inspect his own work closer. He sighed in relief as the stitches looked clean and flawless. At least his temper did not screw up his ability to work with his hands.

He put the bandages back in place, and stroked the toned skin of the silver-haired man's chest absently while thinking about how to proceed with the treatment. He needed the pirate captain back on track as soon as possible. Perhaps he could ask Bunshichiro to help him out… Rationality clashed with a feeling of surrealism as he stared at his own hand resting casually on the sleeping man's chest. It looked familiar, somehow. Like it always had been there. _Hah_.

Almost as if his hand belonged to someone else he distantly observed the fingers wander alongside the bandages, following the lines of muscles down the man's abdomen. Those lean muscles were clearly defined even in his sleeping state of mind, and seemed to tense every time the pirate inhaled. Masamune smiled wryly. _He's undoubtedly something for the eye to enjoy._

That thought snapped him back to reality and he hastily pulled back his hand. It suddenly seemed to have more nerves than necessary as his fingertips tingled awkwardly.

In the process of withdrawing the hand though, it accidently brushed the silver-coloured hair of the sleeping man. It was surprisingly soft. And it seemed to be the source of that peculiar fragrance of lavender and sea water that the man gave off.

Tempted by something inexplicable the Date Captain leaned in close enough to deeply breathe in the smell of that hair. It was almost intoxicating. He did not know if he enjoyed it or not but it sure made him… _The hell?!_

Masamune straightened his back quickly as he felt a rush of warmth in his lower regions. The heat spread to his cheeks when he looked at the pirate captain, still soundly asleep on his futon.Shaking his head, Masamune grew irritated and incredibly restless as he regarded the lying man. Something, a ticklish feeling, bothered him. It stung his fingertips and sent his heart hammering, uncomfortably, unusually. He did not like it.

Getting out of the tent became important. That, and, thinking of absolutely nothing.

**. . .**

Motochika found himself floating in a pleasant state of half consciousness. Rocked to sleep by an unknown lullaby in a world of azure blue, he did not wish to slip out of sleep. Yet he felt himself being tardily dragged out of his dream world, and he sighed in disappointment.

Blinking, the pirate captain tried to discern his surroundings. The air was a little chilly and his intuition immediately categorized it as night air. The time had to be past midnight. Even though it was dark and his night vision poor, Motochika understood that he was in a tent. But this was not the canvas he was used to, and the smell and feeling of the futon was all different. And there was this intense pain radiating from his chest.

Shutting his eyes tightly, Motochika's mind slowly grasped reality. Or at least a bit of it. He could remember the cause of his pain now, all too well. Still he was completely clueless as to where the hell he was. Or why he was alive. That struck him as the most astonishing part. That eye of the One-Eyed Dragon had been so merciless, so full of killing intent. _Yet, here I am, alive and kicking as it seems._

He even got treated, he realized, as he reached for his chest and felt the bandages with one hand. And he had been placed on this comfortable futon, which smelled nice and clean and a little bit like… _No_. That was not possible, not even thinkable. The head of the Date clan would not treat his wounds and then let him sleep on _his _futon. That was simply an absurd thought.

He reached out his hand in the darkness, in search of something that could explain this current situation to him better than his impaired vision. As he fumbled on the ground beside him for God-knows-what, his hand brushed against something warm, and soft.

His heart skipped a beat. Holding his breath, he lay absolutely still on the futon, unseeing eye staring into the darkness in front of him. The forceful pounding of his heart filled all of his being, drowning all other sounds and left him shivering slightly under the covering. Was it fear? If so, he wanted more of it.

Carefully withdrawing his hand and turning his head to the side, Motochika strained his eye to the utmost in an attempt to discern anything in the dark area beside him. Finally, his eyesight seemed to adjust to the darkness. A few feet away, that was where his hand had met with that softness, a silhouette appeared. Lying down, seemingly wrapped up in a covering of sorts, there was a human being sleeping right next to him. Motochika's heart made another painful roll as he recognized the sleeping man.

The head of the Date clan breathed evenly, his head tilted to the side so that Motochika had a full view of his sleeping face. Usually tense lines were straightened out and the fine features of his face were more outstanding than ever. The dark hair hung freely, falling down in messy strands around that peaceful face and framed it perfectly.

Motochika had to inhale deeply as the sight of the defenseless Date Captain leapt out at him in an unexpected way. Hungriness, uncontrolled desire and curiosity merged together and were almost fully replaced by this new feeling. A cautious, tender feeling of protectiveness filled his mind.

A half-muffled moan was heard from the sleeping man. Motochika worryingly observed him toss and turn in his sleep, in hope he would not wake up. He needed to enjoy this moment for a bit longer, before the morning was coming and he had to face defeat, aching wounds and whatnot. As he watched him shift position, Motochika could not help but silently admire that slender body, slowly uncovering itself in front of him as the covering was sliding off.

The Date Captain slept in a casual kimono, tied loosely around his waist. When he moved so did the fabric, and parts of his thighs and chest were now fully exposed to Motochika. He cursed the darkness for not allowing him a better view, and he was just about to shift position to get a more beneficial look when the Dragon did something quite unexpected.

Eyes shut, and obviously still sleeping, he rolled over on his side and was suddenly pressed close to Motochika's body. For the second time this night, the pirate captain's heart almost stopped. He did not know what to feel or think as warm hands sneaked its way around his waist and the other man literally…snuggled up to him. He lazily rested his forehead in the space between Motochika's neck and collarbone, unconsciously breathing hotly over those sensitive areas. A soft pant escaped the pirate's lips. This was unreal; surely he must still be sleeping? Not in the real world could this kind of sweet torture exist.

**. . .**

Masamune was having a particularly pleasant dream. Forceful waves of pleasure washed over him, as a faceless lover covered his chest with kisses and ran a tongue along his neckline. He shivered. Warm hands caressed his face and hair with impatient tenderness, making him lust for more of that delightful touch. His body burned with unspoken desire, the blood pulsing and providing unbearable heat to his private parts.

Pressing into the warmth surrounding him, he made a desperate attempt to add some friction just _there_, where his body was burning. It felt so good. His hips moved on their own accord, insanely addicted to the new feeling of rubbing against something. Panting heavily, he reached out for more.

His hands met with smooth, hot skin. It almost sent him over the edge. The sensation was so real. He could almost hear his imaginary lover moan his name, quietly and filled with repressed passion.

"Ryuu…Oniisa-ah-n."

Masamune slowly opened his eyes. While letting his eyesight adjust to the darkness, his five senses mercilessly reached out, searching for information for his sleepy brain to process.

He could hear heavy breathing. He could smell the enchanting scent of lavender and salt water. He could see the contours of a finely chiseled face, and entangled silver hair. He could feel the warmth of another man's body. He could taste… the sweetness of a brief, daring kiss. Masamune parted his lips, the not-quite-awake-part of him immediately wanting more of that wild, sugary taste.

The kiss delayed the awakening of his mind, as he slipped back into his dream for a moment. Hungrily meeting those soft lips, his imaginary lover became real. Tender and heated at the same time, he led their tongues in a subtle battle for dominance. _Savoring the sweet taste of something forbidden…_

As hands grabbed his hair in an attempt to pull him closer, Masamune felt the first real, and very intense, warning alarm go off in his head. Whatever he was doing, he should not be doing it. His sense of rationality kicked in at full force when he felt bandaged skin under his hands.

Air came out in short, ragged breaths as he pushed the other man away with one hand. His heart leapt like a wild animal in his chest, and he noticed he was visibly shaking. _No way_.

Motochika did not resist as he was pushed away. Not that he would have been able to anyway, due to his current physical condition - though that did not seem to be the reason to why he did not move right now. His cheeks were flushed and the chest heaved with rapid breaths as he observed Masamune with a straight-forward expression. Like it was easy, really.

_The hell it was_. The feeling of fury could be compared to that of passion. Somehow, the main ingredient was the same for Masamune. Heat, lots of it. And an out of control desire to _act,_ in a certain way. With this man, everything was mixed up.

Without a word, Masamune got up and left the tent.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

**. . .**

Motochika woke up in pain. A soldier, to him unknown, treated his wounds with somewhat fumbling fingers. He did not seem to be aware of the fact that the pirate captain was awake, preoccupied as he was with cleaning the cuts. Motochika observed him through half-closed eyelids. He wore his brown hair in a ponytail, and had a solemn glow to his face. Being dressed in the traditional blue armor of the Date clan, the pirate concluded he must be one of Masamune's underlings.

Letting his gaze sweep over the cramped space inside of the tent, he tried to focus on matters aside the stinging sensations on his chest. Sunlight danced over the canvas and lit up everything he previously had such a hard time to discern. Everything looked clean and tidy, and his weapon and clothes were placed beside him, neatly folded. The Date Captain was nowhere to be seen though.

"'Well, good morning to you," he said with a crooked grin, which startled the soldier.

"Chōsokabe-san," he nodded weakly before hurriedly lowering his gaze, seemingly nervous and not entirely comfortable with the task he had been given. Motochika tried not to wince with pain as the wet rag reconnected with his wounded skin. He gritted his teeth, but spoke in a resolute manner.

"Your captain. Is he around?"

"I've been ordered to take care of your wounds, Chōsokabe-san. You should focus on getting well." The soldier replied evasively, staring down on his hands.

_Avoiding the question, huh_. Motochika sighed. He was not surprised; if last night really had not been a dream, he doubted he would be treated by Masamune anytime soon. The Date soldier was right though, he should focus on getting well. Or else he would never be able to stand on equal footing with that man again. _Or bring Toyotomi to his knees_, his mind added as an afterthought.

After getting his bandages back on place, Motochika steeled himself to withstand the waves of nausea which came with the sharp pain as he rose from the futon. The soldier first looked like he wanted to oppose him, but the death glare he received was enough to cause him to lower his head and hurry out of the tent. Before he sneaked out though, he gave the pirate an uncertain look that was almost worrying.

"Great, I'm being patronized," Motochika muttered, while resting his hands against his thighs. The stitches stretched and tore at this skin, and the aching pain spread from there, making his body momentarily paralyzed. "For fuck's sake," he grumbled. "What did I ever do…"

An image of a rapid-breathing, flushed Masamune flashed in his inner view. _Right_. He had gotten to see something quite amazing last night. Not capable of stopping the visual pictures his mind shot at him, nor the memory of the other man's touch and body against his own, Motochika indulged in the surreal feelings. He absently reached for his lips and smiled as he was reminded of that brief kiss; those soft lips pressed against his and that slick, hot tongue eagerly probing his mouth. The pirate let out a shaky sigh.

_Even if it was just one hell of an authentic dream; it made it worth it_, he decided. He could handle injuries; he was not exactly new to the sorts. If hurting physically was what it took to get to see and feel the Date Captain like that, he did not mind, for some strange reason.

Straightening his back and ignoring the shots of intense pain, Motochika stepped out in the sunlight. Whatever these new feelings stirring inside him meant, he intended to figure it out. After all, he had a mission to complete. It was just sheer luck that he and the Date Captain happened to head for the same destination. A grin played in the corner of his mouth. Hell, this was so much more fun than he had expected it to be.

**. . .**

On a field nearby the camp a lone man in a blue kimono practiced sword techniques. The air around him was flashing azure and golden, and an intimidating atmosphere spread its cold wings over the entire area. Soldiers passing by doing their morning duties immediately turned around and hurried away, as they felt the deadly aura freeze them to the bone.

Date Masamune swung his sword with the fiery force of someone who actually wished to kill a living thing. His mind was filled with nothing but icy blue fire as he let his katana cut the air again and again, his body unconsciously leading him in a battle dance, slowly circulating an invisible enemy. Unable to perceive anything outside of this world his mind had been creating, he did not hear the call from across the field at first. Not before it was repeated a fifth time, did it reach his ears.

"Leader?"

Masamune turned to see Bunshichiro approaching him. He had apparently decided on giving up his previous spot on the other side of the field, and the safe distance that came with it. It took some guts. Masamune grinned inwardly, and dropped his fighting stance. Oh well, someone disturbing him like this ought to have something important to say.

"What?" he asked shortly.

"It's… It's the Chōsokabe Captain, leader. He left the tent. Even though you told me to keep an eye on him, I simply…" Bunshichiro's voice broke off as he glanced up at his captain's dark face.

"He left the tent huh. In that condition, he'll… Che." Masamune turned around with a frustrated sigh. "Whatever. Let the pirate trash do as he pleases, I don't freaking care."

He could hear the soldier fidget behind his back, obviously unsure of what to make of the order.

"That's all," Masamune added sternly. "You may leave."

"Leader." He could hear Bunishichiro getting up, and then quickly withdrawing.

_The heck. Is it really that difficult to take care of the wounds of one single man?_ The Date Captain fumed silently while walking back to the camp.

The first thing he saw at his return did not improve his mood particularly.

Firstly, Masamune was not prepared to see the head of the Chōsokabe Clan quite yet. Secondly, he did not expect the stinging sensation in his chest when he watched him strolling over to his men on the other side of the camp. For once, armor covered the pirate's broad chest and temporarily hid the bandages, but the man showed no signs of pain whatsoever as he laughed and talked to his soldiers in that coarse, carefree manner of his. Masamune wondered how he was capable of showing such a face first thing in the morning, with the wounds which _he _had inflicted upon him still fresh on his chest.

The Date captain felt a twinge of that strange, stinging pain again. He scowled, inexplicably annoyed with the other man. What kind of story would he come up with, to cover up for his absence last night, he wondered. He doubted the pirate would tell his men the truth, both for the sake of his own reputation and to protect their alliance. Masamune did not know why, but he trusted the pirate captain to be professional that way.

Sighing, he turned around. _Now is not the time for this._ As long as that damn pirate got a proper treatment, he would get well soon enough. Then they could get serious. That was the only reason for him to care, Masamune decided and clenched his fists. He needed Kojuurou back.

**. . .**

After spending the whole day on the back of a horse, Motochika felt like an eternity had passed. Under normal circumstances he would just feel a bit uncomfortable and let his mind wander off to somewhere more homely, like the rocking waves of the sea, but today was different. Partly because he was slightly distracted by alluring memories from the previous night, and partly because he could feel the stitches strain painfully at his skin under his armor, as his body followed the movements of the horse. The longer he rode, the more excruciating the pain was becoming. Still, he was determined not to let anyone know about the cuts, and kept his back straight.

One person undoubtedly knew about them though. That, however, did not keep the Date captain from acting completely indifferent towards him, and he did not even spare the pirate one single glance during the day. Motochika was left with the image of that proud back of his, steadily mounted on a horse in front of him, with arms characteristically crossed over his chest**. **_Sure, nothing ever happened. You didn't slash my chest open and I never touched that insanely beautiful body of yours. It was all a dream and a creation of my sick mind._

Then why the fuck did his chest hurt like this? Finally getting off the damn horse, every single nerve in the pirate's body was protesting. Something in the back of his mind poked him for attention, sending him vague warning signals about the graveness of his physical condition. He could feel wet warmth spreading on his chest, and knew without checking that the wounds were bleeding again. _Brilliant_. The pirate sighed and tried to urge the pain away. First of all, he needed to obstruct the blood flow, the objective part of his brain concluded.

Hence, Motochika took a stroll on his own during the most hectic evening activities, sauntering out of the night camp with a casual look upon his face. He made sure no one was following him before he quickened his steps and headed for the edge of a wood nearby the camp.

Well assured he was out of sight, he sank to the ground with his back against a tree trunk, overwhelmed by a sudden dizziness. Small multicolored dots filled his vision when he tried to focus on a way to stop the bleeding on his chest, and he cursed the unwelcome feeling of weakness. It did not become him, at all.

A rustling sound brought Motochika back to reality, and the next thing he saw made his body stiffen in sudden awareness. A tall man appeared out of the woods. Six blades in his sheaths, and a crescent moon adorning the helmet – the silhouette of Date Masamune was unmistakable. The sight made the pirate's heart thump fast, as odd excitement mixed with the utter surprise of seeing the One-Eyed Dragon at this place.

The Date Captain wore an inscrutable expression, and his one eye mirrored nothing but slight annoyance.

"You followed me here?" the pirate asked, amusement distinct in his voice.

"Don't get the wrong idea. I merely followed the smell of blood, and that stupid bird of yours," Masamune snorted, shifting his gaze to a branch over Motochika's head, where his parrot was seated, carefully washing its wings. "If you wish not to be tracked down, I advise you to get rid of that thing. Perhaps it's useful at sea, but on land it's about as useful as you right now."

Ignoring the sarcastic remarks, Motochika repressed whatever angry feelings the Date Captain invoked in him, and answered with a chuckle.

"Ah, should've known. Still leaves me wondering though - why are you here? Is that you couldn't get enough of me?" he grinned, raising his eyebrows knowingly.

Masamune stared at him for a moment, before lowering his gaze slowly. He was smirking. Motochika did not know what to make of that expression.

"I take it as you missed me," the pirate added, curious of what kind of reaction he would get.

"Hn, about as much as I miss a second left foot," the Date Captain replied flatly and tossed a bag with medical supplies in front of his feet. "Now show me those wounds or I'll deepen them for you."

**. . .**

Surprisingly enough, Motochika kept quiet while Masamune treated his wounds. Resting his head against the trunk of the tree, he just stared up the deep green crowns that overshadowed most of the darkening evening sky, with an absentminded expression. He did not move at all, and Masamune interpreted his behavior as his way of chasing the pain away.

He was grateful though; any outburst from the silver-haired man and he was not sure he would be able to keep focus on his task.

There was no festering, but thick blood seeped out of the cuts now and the bandages were already soaked when he unfolded them. It did not make sense at all, but seeing those bleeding wounds caused something inside of the Dragons's chest to ache dully as well. The sensation was highly unpleasant, and Masamune tried to hurry his movements in order to get away from the other man as quickly as possible.

However, something prevented his hands from moving any faster, and instead, those hands worked slowly and with perfection, seemingly eager to assure the bleeding was fully obstructed. He rubbed the sore skin carefully with a wet patch, before stroking soothing ointment made out of herbs over the wounded area with tender fingers.

After all, there was a strictly practical reason for him being unable to ignore the maddening pirate, Masamune told himself - he was too useful of an ally to be left bleeding to death. He reached for new bandages, and casually leaned in close to the silver-haired man to pull them around his back.

A warm gust of air flowed over his collarbones - he suddenly became aware of just how close he was to the pirate. His heart picked up in pace, but he did not stop his movements. Determined to show he was in control of the situation, he refrained from pulling back and continued to calmly wind the bandages around the pirate's chest.

It was hard to ignore the feeling of the other man's breath though. It washed warmly over his neck now, meeting the soft surface of his skin, and effortlessly forced itself in and under, sending hot tingles through all of his tense body. Struggling to defy the flight instinct that cried out in panic within him, Masamune tried to stay unaffected with all his might. He did not intend to let something like this shake him up again; he had more important things to worry about than the stupid whims of his body. To be able to fasten the bandages properly, he needed to shift his head so that his neck was removed from the warm breath, and he mentally sighed in relief.

Standing on his knees, he fastened the ends of the bandage with steady hands. The knowledge that his work was more or less completed made him relax, and he took a deep breath as he sank in to a more comfortable position. The ground, however, did not feel like usual.

Realizing too late just what kind of position he was in, Masamune could feel all of his body go completely numb. All sorts of stunned, chaotic thoughts whirled inside of his head, as he desperately tried to reason with the incomprehensible fact that he was, quite literally, sitting in the pirate's lap.

Their faces were only centimeters apart. Slowly raising his head, Masamune glanced at the Chōsokabe captain from under his bangs. He found himself looking straight into grayish blue determination, and that intense, bottomless gaze fixed him at the spot. It was as if the air around them vibrated, and Masamune's vision blurred slightly. It was impossible to breathe or think as long as that gaze held him captured. The only thing he could hear was the roaring sound of his own heart leaping out of control in his chest. Nothing pulled him back now, not even the small voice in the back of his head. It was all blank; the now almost familiar scent of lavender tugged him in instead, in and forward.

The sound of a branch breaking cut through the air. The Date Captain jolted backwards immediately, and was on his feet within seconds. Breathing rapidly, he turned his head around to spy on whomever it was approaching them.

"Leader..?" he could hear Bunshichiro and Samanosuke's voices calling him from a close distance, and understood they were searching for him. Damn, he had forgotten to tell them he was going after the pirate, of course they would go look for him. Masamune turned around, successfully avoiding any more eye-contact with the silver-haired man by showing him his back.

"You're capable of putting those back yourself, I believe," he uttered shortly, referring to the pieces of armor which lay scattered on the ground. He could almost feel the other man smirk at his back, and it made him boil with anger. _What's wrong with that idiot? _No, he still did not have the time for this. With fists tightly clenched, Masamune strode away from Motochika in the direction of the voices.

"Oi! …thanks." The partly amused, partly sincere tone in the pirate's voice reached Masamune's ears, but he did not stop to respond to it. The peculiar, warm feeling spreading in his stomach was of enough concern at the moment.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

**. . .**

During the fifth day of their journey to Osaka, the weather became severe. Already in the morning, the air felt stuffy and damp, and it brought down listlessness among the soldiers. Even the pirate crew, who were used to harsh weather at sea, seemed affected by the suffocating air on land, and hunched tiredly in the saddles all through the darkening day. Threatening, black clouds gathered in the sky at midday, and the surroundings quickly become grey and dull. When the first raindrops fell, it was only late afternoon.

There was one person however, who stayed unaffected by the weather changes.

Standing on the ledge of a cliff, Chōsokabe Motochika welcomed the deep rolling sound of thunder and the feeling of heavy raindrops splashing down on his skin. Strong, keen wind caught the fabric of his jacket and rustled his hair refreshingly as he indulged in the sheer force of nature tugging at his body. It was not like standing at the fore of a ship, but it was close to it, and he inhaled the cold air deeply. He had missed the roaring excitement of storms like these. The atmosphere felt almost expectant, like something out of this world and beyond was about to happen.

The pirate captain let his gaze sweep down the hillside and spotted several of his men rushing back and forth, busy with setting up their night camp as quickly as possible. Conveniently enough, they had reached a mountainside just before the storm broke loose, and it was decided they would set up their camp earlier than usual, to take shelter among the caves and trees below the mountain.

A flash of lightning illuminated the sky, and with it, a short shot of pain struck the pirate's chest. He grimaced. It reminded him that he was not yet fully recovered. After the encounter in the woods, Bunshichiro was once again the one treating his wounds, as the Date captain seemed pretty determined to keep a distance between them. The soldier was obviously following his captain's orders zealously though, and Motochika was convinced that he was currently receiving the best of treatments. The wounds were already healing, and even though the feeling was itchy and somewhat uncomfortable, it was a hell of a lot better than it had been before.

Rolling his shoulders in a trying manner, he felt the stitches stretch lightly, but that was a discomfort he could easily disregard. A somewhat impaired motility meant a new kind of challenge to him; he would just need to fight in a slightly different manner, a bit more defensive and calculating… Casting a longing gaze at the splitting sky, the pirate captain wondered when he would get to fight again. He could feel his heart pound hard in his chest, creating a wild, rhythmic tune as it pumped out blood in his veins. It was as if it played the song of battle, and the tones of it spread an evident desire to be in the eye of the storm within his body.

**. . .**

"Do you need me for anything else?" Bunshichiro asked after he had completed his evening report. The wind blew hard outside the cave opening, making whistling sounds accompanying that of the furious, smattering rain.

"No," Masamune shrugged. The horses were all taken care of, safe and dry in one of the biggest caves, and most of the soldiers seemed to be preoccupied with opening bottles of sake already. Hell, it was a good idea to party once they had the time, Masamune figured. Though this freaking storm was messing with his plans, and he did not like it.

"And… the pirate?" Bunshichiro's voice was a bit weaker now, as if he expected Masamune to scold him. He was used to the terrifying atmosphere his legendary captain gave off at times, but the darkness filling the air every time he mentioned the Chōsokabe Captain was something completely different. It was as if the air suddenly became drained from oxygen; too thick to breathe, and too oppressive to stand straight.

"What about him?" Masamune snarled, seemingly in an even worse mood than usual.

"I didn't get the chance to tend to his wounds today, leader. He took off as soon as we got here and I haven't seen him since. I'm sorry I couldn't fulfill my duty." Bunshichiro held his head low as he awaited further orders from his captain, but there was none. When he lifted his head to search for a reason for the silence, he was slightly startled by the expression on Masamune's face. It was completely blank, though the air around the man seemed to vibrate with energy. Then, without warning, his captain turned around, wordlessly grabbed his swords, and walked for the cave opening.

"Leader..?"

"You're dismissed. Go have some fun tonight." The reply was direct and emotionless, and Bunshichiro could not help but to feel a bit worried. His captain was definitely up to something. If Kojuurou-sama had been around, he would have known what to do to stop him from heading out in the storm. The young head of the Date clan was a capricious person, full of dangerous impulses which only Katakura Kojuurou could handle. In this, Bunshichiro was fairly powerless.

Masamune turned his head and grinned at the soldier as if he had heard his thoughts.

"Don't wait up for me."

**. . .**

The rain splashed fiercely down the Date captain's face as he marched through the wooded area below the mountain. Something inside him had snapped at Bunshichiro's words. Was it that the pirate had taken off like that, or that he did not seem to care for his medical treatment – Masamune was not certain. He just knew that it infuriated him, and that his rage undoubtedly had its roots in the pirate's irresponsible, maddening behavior.

When he left the cave he had been blinded by a sudden, overwhelming urge to fight, thus searching for the idiotic Chōsokabe Captain was more of an act of pure instinct than an actual decision. Nevertheless, his body seemed to enjoy the raging storm as it matched his inner tumult perfectly, and he strode forward without wavering.

In the distance, a silhouette of a man with an anchor spear resting on his shoulder was outlined against the dark sky. Masamune smirked as he walked towards the pirate captain. He was standing on the ledge of a cliff, seemingly gazing out over the alley without a care in the world. The purple jacket flapped in the strong wind, and the rain pounded down his chest and face, but it did not seem to be bothering him. On the contrary, the silver-haired man seemed to enjoy the stormy winds as he threw his head backwards and willingly let the water hit his face with all its forceful might. It looked almost as if he was smiling.

Masamune approached the man with a sudden tentativeness, as the sight somewhat intrigued him. He could not help but to wonder what made the pirate look so harmonious. Then again, the silver-haired man usually gave off a feeling of being rather relaxed, to the point it was actually annoying. This joyful aura, however, carried something more – no doubt about it.

Masamune stopped walking. He could smell the adrenalin now; he could almost see it floating in the air around him, as if it was touchable, and not just a vibrating, thrilling feeling in the pit of his stomach. So, the missing ingredient was fighting spirit.

Just as the answer struck him, Motochika turned around. He did not seem surprised to see the head of the Date clan at all. Soaking wet, with clothes in a whirly mess around his long limbs, he kept a provocative laid-back stance as he locked eyes with the Date captain.

Words were needless.

It was impossible to decide who attacked who first; their movements were close to simultaneous. Azure blue clashed with golden fire, and they were immediately plunged into a world of blood-rushing action. The energy flowed through Masamune's body and he poured it all into mercilessly attacking the pirate, feeling his very soul vibrate in bliss when he felt the expected resistance. He was fended off and soon that anchor spear came flying his way, with a terrifying force…

He blocked it effortlessly with three of his swords, and the attack came to a halt. The silver-haired man was grinning madly; his one eye burned with ferocious excitement as he attacked again, with his legs this time. The Date captain felt the air whine right next to his ear, as he managed to avoid getting hit by a hair's breadth, only to be forced to parry a swing from the spear in the next second. Masamune's heart pounded furiously in his chest. This man, recently injured by his very hands, was able to fire such powerful attacks already; it was amazing. _And equally infuriating._

The Chōsokabe Captain was in the air now, feet steadily seated on the shaft of the anchor spear. He had a _catch-me-if-you-can_ look upon his face, and Masamune felt the irritation grow pleasantly. Silently unsheathing his six swords, he kicked off and gathered energy for a new onrush.

**. . .**

As expected, Date Masamune was showing him a good time beyond the usual limits. The vague fear the pirate captain felt at the sight of the other man unsheathing his swords sent pleasant shivers down his spine, and added to his excitement. This was the real thing; his whole body tensed up, as the fresh memory of those swords cutting through his skin washed over him. Lost in the joy of battle, Chōsokabe Motochika could not care less for aching wounds. He was not sure if he was in a state of rage or euphoria, but either way it fueled his body to its maximum power.

Still, those nearly healed wounds on his chest restrained his movements a bit, which was enough to create an almost unnoticeable unbalance between him and the Date captain. Even though he managed to block or dodge most of the incoming attacks, he found no real opportunities to strike back, and eventually he was forced into an uncharacteristically defensive fighting style.

After all, the One-Eyed Dragon was not an opponent he was sure he could beat even at his full power, and it was with reluctant acceptance Motochika came to the conclusion he would probably get cut again at this rate. That was, _if he did not stretch the rules of the game a little_.

"Oi! Dokuganryuu! How about a nice little game of hide-and-seek?" His shout was almost drowned by the howling wind.

Masamune, who was currently rushing forward, ready to attack again, slowed down at this. Lowering his swords, he glanced incredulously at the pirate.

"What are you at?" he asked, blatantly irritated with the interruption.

The Chōsokabe Captain tilted his head and grinned, and before Masamune had the time to attack, he turned around abruptly; heading in the direction of the woods.

Motochika was fairly sure the Dragon was going to follow him, and he was proven right almost immediately, as a flash of blue lightning crashed down right next to him. The energy shock made him loose his balance, and consequently forced him to jump off the spear and onto the ground. _Damn, he's fast. _Straightening his back, Motochika squinted as he tried to discern the other man through the heavy curtain of rain. There was nothing.

In the next moment, the Date captain landed in front of him.

"Nice try," he spoke, his deep voice filled with ill-concealed arrogance. "Wanna take this fight under the trees 'cause you figure you won't be at disadvantage there, huh. Pathetic."

"Excellent, you see right through me," Motochika replied dryly, forcing his body to stand still as he tried to bridle his irritation. _This bastard has got some pretty awful manners, but he's not easily fooled_.

"Tch," Masamune merely snorted.

"Oh. You actually wish you _could_ see right through me, is that it, Ryuu Oniisan?" Motochika recognized his own voice dripping with suggestive seducement mixed with mocking amusement, and felt his heart beat hysterically. He could not help it; in situations like these he felt an overwhelming need to tease the Dragon, no matter how dangerous it had proven to be.

A vein throbbed at the Date captain's temple, and his burning eye was hazed with red. The world froze as six swords fell to the ground.

_Ah, I did it. _Adrenalin recaptured the control of Motochika's body; as it defied every trace of flight instinct, and moved forward instead of running in the different direction.

The anchor spear was left forgotten on the muddy ground.

**. . .**

Time became insignificant as deep crimson coloured the very seconds. Bruises formed under layers of armor, and wounds opened up along areas of bare skin. Blood created beautiful patterns on their faces, just to be harshly whipped away by the rain in the next second, and a new series of hits were exchanged. Exhausted, yet boiling with energy, Masamune followed, or lead, their frantic dance of battle. Every time their bodies met, heat beyond this world emerged and flowed into him. He could not get enough of this intoxicating feeling.

After another violent onslaught, resulting in no one gaining the upper hand, they both staggered backwards. Temporarily dragged out of the intense sphere of adrenalin, Masamune was shaking with heavy breaths. Distant pain tried to reach his consciousness, though he cruelly ignored the attempts. That was not of importance right now, only beating that _poor excuse for a captain_ was.

His thoughts were interrupted by laughter.

Startled, Masamune turned around to block another attack – but none came. Motochika seemed to have forgotten completely about their fight. Standing still, laughing in the middle of the field, he once again turned his face to the rainy sky, before he suddenly spread his arms out wide and unceremoniously fell to the ground back first.

Masamune observed him with bemusement. _What now? _He reluctantly walked closer to the pirate captain, unwillingly curious of his behavior. Scowling, he stared down at the lying man. The pirate was still laughing. His chest heaved with rapid breaths, and the bandages were completely ripped off and left his still healing scars exposed. Fresh wounds and bruises covered the bare skin of his chest and face. And yet, for some unknown_, idiotic_ reason, Chōsokabe Motochika was laughing.

"You look like shit," Masamune remarked.

"You look dashing," came the reply, between ragged breaths. Resisting the urge to kick the pirate, Masamune took a deep breath. As usual, the man set off the most intense sorts of feelings inside of him. He was not sure why, but instead of following his first impulse to just _walk away_, he dropped to his knees.

A smile slowly spread over the Chōsokabe Captain's face. It was not even close to his usual smirk, and it made him look… different, somehow. In fact, Masamune had no idea what the hell it was all about, but it made something inside of his stomach flutter, and the nerves in his fingertips tingle hotly.

The pirate blinked. A shallow cut above his eye leaked a steady stream of blood, and obviously made it hard for him keep it open. Yet he seemed calm, and not in the least worried that he would hurt him. _Che, you stupid brat, why would you trust someone like me this implicitly? _Masamune mused inwardly, frustrated with the complexity of the other man and his own mixed feelings. _It doesn't seem quite right. What's wrong and what's right, anyway?_

Mesmerized by the thin trail of blood running from Motochika's forehead and across his face, Masamune felt his reason falter. And honest to God, right now, he did not give a fuck.

With a resigned sigh, he bent over and let the tip of his tongue run over the bleeding wound.

**. . .**

Motochika could not figure out where, or in what world, he was at the moment.

Was it repercussions from the fight, or this new feeling of the Date captain's tongue against his abused skin, he did not know. Only that, it sent his heart into frenzy, and his mind had a hard time processing what was happening. Even though the blood was tenderly licked away from his temple and eyelid, he kept his eye closed, afraid of it all being some sort of cruel mind trick. Not until he felt soft lips ghosting over his own, he opened it. Wide.

Masamune gazed at him intently. Long eyelashes fluttered slightly as raindrops came streaming down his forehead, but his look remained steadily determined and almost alluring. Motochika gasped as reality pierced his foggy mind. _He's looking at me. _Before he could reflect on it any further, a pair of lips came crashing down on his own, and he felt a tongue ardently begging for permission to enter. Willingly parting his lips, Motochika welcomed the hot sensation of the other man exploring his mouth with close-to-violent curiosity. He eagerly responded to the kiss, unconsciously trying to gain dominance by pushing his tongue gently into the Date captain's mouth – and got bitten.

Sharp canines pierced his lip, and the metallic taste of blood mixed with that of rain water. Motochika smirked into the kiss, but obediently withdrew his tongue and felt the other man smugly lick the blood away before catching his lips again, kissing him in a way that made every cell in his body vibrate in delight. _Don't stop._

Reaching for the Date captain's collar to pull him even closer, he got his hands slapped away as he received a hazy, slightly indignant look from the other man. Motochika let his arms fall to the ground disarmingly. Seeing the Date Captain straightening his back, and move to straddle him; surrealism merged with the unbearably strong sensations of arousal as his crotch was rubbed against.

Masamune placed his hands on each side of his head, and leaned in to attack his neck with light kisses and sharp bites; a soothing tongue following in the path of destruction, zealously lapping up the bloodshed. The pirate shivered at the pain-pleasured sensations at his sensitive neck, and pulled eagerly at the wet fabric of the Date Captain's jacket to urge him to move more, and closer.

A bit surprisingly, Masamune complied, and heatedly pressed against him, unintentionally breathing hotly into his ear. The warm dusts of air, mixed with quiet, half-muffled moans, resonated within Motochika's body, and added to the burning heat between his legs. Raising his head slightly, to whisper just how intoxicating he found those sounds to be in the other man's ear, a sudden pain ripped his chest, and he winced against his will.

This startled Masamune, who quickly straightened his back and stared down at Motochika with a flustered expression. As quickly, the pain disappeared and the pirate distantly recognized the cause of it; the sharp metal edge of the armor covering the Date captain's arm accidently had sunken into one of his nearly healed wounds.

Motochika sighed at the loss of warmth, and reached for the rattled man to pull him closer again. However, his hand was shaken off rather harshly, and instead of leaning back in to kiss him, Masamune hurriedly got off his lying form. Something inside the pirate's chest contracted painfully at the sight of the Date captain getting on his feet. His eye was hidden under a wet curtain of dark hair. _No._

Turning his back to the pirate captain, Masamune started to pick up his scattered swords and put them back into their sheaths. Motochika observed him silently, without moving from his spot. His body suddenly felt heavy and broken. The raindrops splashing down on his body had lost their magical force. Compared to the touch of the Dragon, they were just a chilly, wet nuisance, after all.

As he watched the One-Eyed Dragon turn to walk away, he closed his eye again. _Better lie here for a while to cool down properly_, he reasoned abjectly with himself. There was really no point in rushing.

"Are you coming?"

Eye snapped open, Motochika turned his head in the direction of the voice. He was surprised he was still able to hear anything, seeing how his heart practically roared inside of his chest. But someone had spoken, and that very someone was standing only a few meters away, with his back turned against him. Even soaking wet and soiled with mud, and with most of his clothing tattered; the Date captain's silhouette stood tall and impressive against the dark sky.

"What?" the pirate asked, slightly incredulous.

"I said; why are you lying around for? Get up." Masamune's replied impatiently. "Or do I have to carry you back?"

Motochika got up on his elbows, unable to hide a broad smile from spreading over his face.

"Actually, I wouldn't mind that… you carrying me, that is."

"Lazy bastard." Date Masamune's voice was indifferent, but Motochika noticed the way his fists clenched before he stalked off.

_Mayhaps you're a bit bothered after all, Dokuganryuu._

Jumping to his feet, the Chōsokabe Captain followed the Dragon through the storm, all the while indulging in the silence and expectant tension which sparkled in the air between them.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

**. . .**

"Get us some hot water."

Masamune's resolute, deep voice startled Bunshichiro who had fallen into a restless slumber after sharing a couple of drinks with his comrades. Now he jolted to his feet fast enough to get dizzy, and he had to squint to discern the men appearing in the cave opening. Their silhouettes were darkly outlined against the lightning-illuminated sky. He did not know whether to be relieved or horrified at the sight.

The two captains looked like they had been to hell and back, to put it rather mildly. Their uniforms were tattered and soiled with rainwater and dirt, and water dripped, no, _flowed, _from clothes and hair, gathering in muddy pools on the ground beneath them. Their presence filled the cave with a heavy, dangerous aura of exhaustion and odd excitement, which prickled the skin on Bunshichiro's arms. The Chōsokabe Captain's chest was completely bare, exposing the three old scars and several fresh wounds, still seeping blood.

Shifting his gaze to his captain, what the Date soldier was already thinking immediately was confirmed. The Dragon looked as thoroughly beat-up as the pirate. Dark blue-ish bruises already bloomed along his temple and neck, and coagulated blood was smeared all over his face and hands, striped by the rain but still evidently there. Who's blood? _Their blood._

The realization struck Bunshichiro as he met with his captain's gaze. It made his chest burn. Shifting uneasily on his feet, he hesitantly glanced at the pirate again. An equally fiery gaze pierced his chest and he took some steps backwards.

"I-I… about those wounds… I… what… I mean…"

"I said: get us some hot water. Now." Masamune repeated. His voice left no room for questions.

"Excuse me. Of course, leader."

Keeping his head low, Bunshichiro hurried out of the cave to fetch water, fervently twiddling his hands. Even thinking about what those two could have been up to made him feel ill at ease. Once again, he found himself wishing intently for Kojuurou-sama to be present.

**. . .**

A lively fire was sparkling in the cave, softly illuminating the stone walls and spreading a pleasant warmth in the small space. Hot water was prepared in a large wooden tub by a couple of slightly inebriated Date soldiers, along with dry clothes, soothing ointments and bandages. It was all placed beside the fire at the temporary hearth. Washing rags were carried in by a blatantly nervous Bunshichiro. Masamune could not help but find his uneasiness amusing as he stumbled on his own feet in his anxiousness, all too eager to get out of the cave as fast as possible. Distant, frisky sounds of men drinking and laughing in a more spacious cave further down the mountainside reached Masamune's ears through the stormy winds. He figured Bunshichiro must prefer that atmosphere to this undeniably awkward one.

The pirate captain sauntered around the cave with his hands in his pockets, regarding each of the objects in there with friendly interest. Still, there was something unmistakably gleeful about the way he moved. Seemingly indifferent about whether the soldier was present or not, he strolled over to the large vessel of steaming water, giving it an approving look. Bunshichiro glanced at the scars stretching the pirate's exposed chest before shooting his captain a questioning look, but Masamune merely shook his head and gestured for him to leave. Ill-concealed relief floated the soldier's facial features before he bowed lightly and sneaked out of the cave without looking back.

"Better get in before the water cools, huh."

Masamune turned around just in time to see the pirate unceremoniously drop his jacket to the ground. Whatever sarcastic remark was about to leave his lips was restrained, oddly enough.

Chōsokabe Motochika was not a straight-laced kind of person – nothing about the pirate's behavior so far had lead Masamune to believe so, still – seeing the man flake off his wet garments seemingly totally unconcerned about his presence was somehow disquieting. He suddenly found himself being exposed to too much tanned skin, too many scars and wounds winding their way over lean, beautifully defined muscles - and _too much blood._

That was a first. The concept "too much blood" felt all around unfamiliar to Masamune, the words in themselves strange and basically unused until now, even within his mind. The blood bothered him. Why the realization made him cringe and avert his gaze now was unclear to him; he was taken by surprise by his own reaction. It was that same feeling; ever since the first time he cut the pirate the bittersweet joy of victory had been mixed up with this heart wrenching, nerve ticklish emotion growing anxiously in his chest. _Some annoying shit, really._

He noticed the man wore nothing but the loose fitting, violet pantaloons now. They were draped rather nonchalantly over his hips - _ridiculously low._ Masamune could not keep his gaze from wandering over the strong, defined hipbones and flat, muscled stomach…

Frantic desire still tickled Masamune's senses restlessly; urging him on, in a direction his mind might not fully approve of, but his body was clearly craving. Unbidden, memories from the storm came to him. Reality was slowly becoming a fogged mess of twisted excitement, bringing back the lingering taste of blood and rain and fierce kisses to his mouth.

As he forced himself to meet the pirate's shamelessly curious gaze, he felt a hot shot of adrenalin rush through his body. He liked that feeling, no denying that. Before meeting the pirate he had only experienced those kinds of thrills on the battlefield. However, it infuriated him the other man would cause him to feel things he was not in control of.

He stared back at the man in front of him, determined not to reveal by any expression how hysterically fast his heart was thumping. The pirate inquisitively eyed him without saying anything. Grinning finally, Masamune let the competitiveness replace the enigmatic feelings for the time being and reached for the top button of his coat.

_Challenges. _

**. . .**

_I'm watching the One-Eyed Dragon undress._

The realization struck Motochika as surreal enough to keep him from moving at all; eye glued on that long-legged bit of joy slowly getting bare skinned in front of him. He did not make a show out of discasing his armor and clothes, yet to the pirate it was the most sensual sight he had ever witnessed. The way he calmly, almost playfully at times, disrobed himself without speaking caused a violent shiver of excitement to run along Motochika's spine.

Outside the cave the storm roared on. The muted noise of splashing water and howling winds were oddly compatible with the silent, daunting Date Captain. He casually dropped the last piece of garment, his breeches, to the ground. Folding his arms over his chest, he regarded the Chōsokabe Captain expectantly. It would remain a mystery to Motochika how the hell it was possible for this man to exude the same kind of intimidating, consuming energy now, as he was standing in front of him naked – as he did in full uniform on the battlefield. _He's dangerous, _he thought, feeling a slight flutter of huffy fear tingle his senses in a very pleasant way.

Undaunted, he grinned broadly before shuffling closer to the Date Captain, closing the safe distance between them intentionally. He stopped only inches from the other man. They were almost identical in height and Motochika realized with distant amusement his single right eye was in perfect line with the Dragon's lonely left one. The depth of the indigo blue orb was astounding.

"Let me clean you up." Motochika's voice came out low and husky.

It was not meant like a question, not even a suggestion. It was closer to a proclamation than any of that, not searching for permission. Yet, when the dark-haired man hinted a smile before sliding past him silently, making his way to the tub and the hot, inviting water –Motochika felt relief ease his racing heart. He did not turn around until he heard a splashing sound and a sigh of contentment as the Date Captain settled in the bath.

_You don't know what you just initiated, _the pirate thought. Smirking, he turned around and regarded the back of the One-Eyed Dragon hungrily. The steam rising from the hot water partly clouded his vision but he could see how water droplets formed their way already, slowly coursing down Masamune's shoulders.

The pirate kneeled next to the tub and picked up one of the washing rags. For the shortest of moments he held still, suddenly lightheaded, before bringing the cloth to the Date Captain's back. Rubbing slowly, he noted with satisfaction that nothing in the way his hands moved betrayed the slight tremor in his fingers at the physical contact. He proceeded to rub the skin with even, firm pressure, wiping away marks of dirt, sweat and blood as well as massaging sore spots carefully, trying to focus at places where the muscles seemed overly tense.

The Date captain huffed contently as his muscles softened under the pirate's deft hands. His stance became visibly less strained. He seemed to enjoy the attentions paid to his back, without reservation. Motochika wondered briefly whether or not he should be worried by the sudden change in the Dragon captain's behavior when said man tilted his head slightly. The gesture was quite obvious. He was giving the pirate access to his neck. Damp, dark hair fell aside, revealing a bare patch of skin just beneath his left ear. Motochika's breath caught in his throat at the sight. _Really, If you knew how hot you look right now, you bastard, how can you expect me to... _ A hand, warm and slick with water, reached around and grabbed his wrist. And pulled.

The suddenness of the Dragon's action caught Motochika off guard, and brought him off balance. He more or less fell into the steaming water with a huge splash, and the next thing he knew, he was in the wooden tub, hot water filling his airways. Surfacing, he shook his head wildly, coughing and sputtering in his attempt to regain access to a normal breathing. Date Masamune's laughter was ringing loudly in his ears, strangely uplifting and infuriating at the very same time.

"Uh, that was a vile trick just there, Dokuganryuu," the pirate captain complained, finally managing to inhale properly. The fabric of his pantaloons clung uncomfortably to his legs, and long strands of silver-hair fell wetly down his forehead and impaired his vision. He brushed it aside, smiling despite himself as the very realization of what the Dragon had done hit him.

"What would you have done if I didn't…" Motochika trailed off.

The steam clouded parts of the Dragon's upper body, but he was close enough to be able to discern his finely defined chest and upper arms, leaning nonchalantly over the edge of the tub. Water drops beaded on his skin, forming a mesmerizing pattern of pearls. Dark hair fell in wet tangles down his forehead, partly covering his gaze… yet, when the Date captain tilted his head and smirked, his one eye was completely focused on the pirate, burning with unhidden desire. In that instant, Date Masamune looked like the predator he truly was.

"It was not my intention to drown you, pirate bastard." Masamune said flatly. "I intend to eat you."

Motochika was unable to repress a shudder. Indeed, he felt like he was about to be eaten. The realization made him painfully hard. Watching the Dragon lazily drag a hand through his hair without dropping the predatory grin, the white-haired man realized he needed to get his concentration back if he wished to keep any of his dignity. Luckily, old habits did not die easily. He slipped back into the lax, carefree attitude he had worn since he was old enough to earn the nickname "Demon of the West seas" almost effortlessly.

"What makes you believe I'm willing to be Dragon's food?" he retorted, feigning thoughtfulness.

"Don't bullshit me. You've been drooling over me since you first tasted my katana."

"That's so shrewd, Ryuu Oniisan. I really need to improve my acting skills" Motochika mused, tapping a finger against his chin whilst casting Masamune an amused sideway glance.

"Shut up," growled the Date captain, menace obvious as he leaned closer and grabbed Motochika by the neck.

Motoshika shivered uncontrollably at the touch. He was close enough to smell the dirt and blood on the Dragon, close enough to smell _him_, the musky, earthy smell that was Masamune's own. The fingers around his neck were strong, the killing intent mixed with furious lust in the other man's eyes, real and _dangerous_. The scars on his chest ached dully, the new wounds stung… His cock twitched. _Bloody hell. Bring it on then._

**. . .**

Masamune decided that whatever rubbish kept him from taking what he really wanted was nothing but a nuisance – _to hell with it._ What he wanted was right in front of him, all wet and warm and alive, and _there. _He would make that cocky eyesore of a pirate regret he had ever longed for his attention.

_You lit my fire. Unless you can stand the heat, I'll burn you to ashes._

He pulled the soaked, white-haired man in for a forceful kiss. If he truly breathed fire, that sea water-loving idiot would have to back down now. But he did not. Neither did he manage to quench the Dragon's fire. Rather, he fueled it.

The Demon of Onigashima still tasted of blood, although the salty tang of sea and an indefinite sugary taste were prominent. His tongue was warm and eager, unwilling to lose the battle that was their kiss. In that, the pirate was completely unyielding, but it only caused Masamune to feel impossibly hot and bothered. He let his hands roam the other man's body, over his muscled back and broad chest, brushing sensitive, pale nipples in the passing. His hands wandered over the hard smooth surface of the abdomen and lower back, not exactly caring to avoid newly opened wounds and sore areas – something about the way the pirate stayed unaffected, not even flinching, excited him immensely. _I want…it._

The water temperature seemed to rise to the boiling point as their bodies finally came together. Motochika pulled himself into a position where he was straddling the head of Oushuu under the water. Masamune welcomed the closeness, tangling his fingers through the mess of wet, white hair, and forcibly deepened the kiss. His dick throbbed in a manner that was close to painful. Even as he acknowledged this fact, he felt the soft touch of fingers, _just there_. As the pirate closed his hand around his hardened shaft and started to pump slowly, Masamune had to break the kiss to inhale raggedly.

_There it was. _The frenzy he neither could nor wanted to avoid anymore. He reached blindly for the other man, hand trailing down his belly, to find his member. It was rock hard under the soaked violet trousers. Masamune indulged in the feel of it, how it was outlined against the wet fabric, erect and warm. He gripped it tauntingly at first, then proceeded by rubbing his thumb gently up and down the shaft, intentionally creating friction between the skin and the fabric.

The pirate gave out a low moan at the assault, pressing eagerly against his hand. Masamune could not help but smirk, amidst his own excitement he rejoiced at the feeling of being in control of the situation. Without regret, he ripped the fabric of the trousers to get better access to what was underneath. The white-haired man did not object. Instead he smiled.

"The Dragon likes his food without the peel, hm? Never thought you'd be such a picky eater," he murmured.

The pirate's gaze was as sultry as his voice, and for a moment Masamune forgot to breathe as he looked into that gray-blue pool of heated emotions. He managed a grin eventually, meeting the stare dead-on. _What's wrong with this idiot? _He asked himself absent-mindedly, for the hundredth time, but his head was already busy spinning, erasing reasoning. Reality sank into oblivion as he lost himself in that gaze, that undeniable strength, and in those hands working his manhood once again. He wanted to cry out in pleasure, just from that.

He could not, however. Not yet. This was still his game, and he intended to play it until the end. He reached out to grab the pirate's cock once more. Free from the restraining trousers, it felt slick and heated to the touch, even in comparison to the hot water. Masamune closed his hand around him without hesitation this time, biting back a groan of his own as the pirate fondled him in a particularly mindblowing way. He craned his neck in the process and the Demon captain took advantage of the opening, attacking his neck with kisses that consisted of as much teeth as of tongue. Masamune shivered at the pleasant onslaught, unable to keep from rocking upwards against the addictive touch at the same time.

**. . .**

The water splashed in all directions at their lively play, leaving more of it pooling on the ground beneath than within the tub, though Chōsokabe Motochika was past caring. The distant sound of thunderbolts went unheard, as did the bellowing wind and smattering rain outside the cave; outside their sphere. All that existed was the madness of desire. Pent-up breath and racing hearts, blood pulsating with full force. A taste of earth and wildflowers, lips soft and wanting against his. Nimble fingers, touching, _touching…_ Incoherent thoughts added up in sweet nothing, and left the pirate in a simple state of need._ I want this beautiful beast of a man. Now. _

Motochika loosened his grip on the other man's cock, earning a dissatisfactory groan as he did so, and a sharp bite to his neck. Sharp enough to draw blood, he realized distantly as something hot trickled down his collarbone. He felt vertiginous. The hand caressing him only jerked harder at the disruption, and the pirate had to clench his teeth to prevent himself from crying out and lose focus.

"I didn't ask you to stop." The Date Captain growled.

"Nor did you ask me to continue."

The grip on his cock tightened. He felt himself pulsate against that hand; straining, wanting, _needing. _

"What are you on about now you useless piece of trash..." Masamune snarled, blatantly frustrated with the interruption, but without showing any signs of withdrawing. Motochika found that curious and more than exciting, and he struggled to keep from giving in immediately.

"Now now, Dokuganryuu. Why don't we play a little game you and I? It's so simple, even you would…ahhh…" Motochika trailed off as his dick was being squeezed in a close to violent manner. "…understand."

"If the name of the game is 'Shut the fuck up', I'll play." The Dragon's voice was thick with lust, but deep and threatening all the same. It gave Motochika the shivers. The pleasant kind.

"It's called "please-the-pirate-and-you'll-get-to-open-the-coffer."

"Bugger that. What bloody coffer?" The head of Oushuu hissed, burying his teeth in the flesh of his shoulder, but Motochika scarcely felt the pain.

"This."

Reaching out for the Date Captain's cock again, he raised his hips and gently guided him to the most private part of his body. He felt the other man pull back from his neck in surprise, as the prospect of what he was offering sunk in. Then, a wide grin. So familiar, yet so thrilling each time. Motochika could do nothing but return it.

The Dragon leaned in, close enough for their foreheads to touch, the tip of his dick _almost _touching that hidden place of his. His voice came out husky.

"And what might that be, that would please the pirate bastard, Motochika?"

For one, shivering second, Motochika felt as if his heart stopped. He had not expected the Dragon to hand him the coffer wide-open straight away like that. His name, spoken by that man, in that voice. _It sounded so… right._

He met with Masamune's inscrutable gaze for one, confounded moment. Perhaps his instant surprise was seeping through, for something closely akin to triumph flickered in the eye of the Dragon.

_Guess I have no choice but to pay up._

"That," he breathed as he lowered himself over the hard rod, letting all of the Oushuu captain inside him in one swift movement.

Granted, it hurt. He felt it now, but it did not feel quite real. He held still for a moment, in an attempt to grow accustomed to the painful sensations at his rear. He inhaled deeply, and glanced at the Date captain from under his bangs. He was not smirking now, though his lips were slightly parted and his breathing seemed strained as he stared at the pirate. Motochika could not be sure, but he thought he saw something awfully close to concern flash across the Date captain's facial features. Then more clearly, hunger.

The Demon of Onigashima felt strangely at ease being looked upon like that. And conspicuously aroused. He felt the need of being touched again, and the discomfort he initially felt from being penetrated grew unimportant as Masamune resumed to jerking him with a steady hand, simultaneously thrusting his hips upwards. A moan escaped Motochika's throat. The unusual, slightly peculiar feeling of being filled was not half bad. The warm water helped too, and the pain eventually ebbed away. _I rather like it_, he realized.

Thoughts shattered as the Date captain leaned in to kiss him again, surprisingly gently now. It was still a battle for dominance, but a slightly more tender version. The soft roll of tongues were not disrupted by bites, and became more rhythmic as none of them made any overly heated attempts to gain control.

Motochika could feel himself growing hotter by the second. The feeling of the warm, hard cock sliding in and out of him was quickly getting addictive, and he soon found himself craving it with all of his body. His backside was ablaze, as was his erected, throbbing member, being stroked mercilessly in the same fervent pace as the thrusts. And then, when he thought it could not get any better, Masamune hit something deep inside him, a spot of pleasure as sweet and dripping as syrup.

"Ah..Ryuu Oniisan, that's…just…nnnghh…" Motochika was vaguely aware of the sounds he was making, but as that spot was hit dead on a second time he could not contain his voice any longer. He cried out despite himself, pushing himself down violently to the point where all of the other man's cock was buried inside him. He relished in the feeling of that pulsating organ filling him to the brim, shivering at the touch of the impatient fingers which had wandered from his dick to caress his nipples. He knew that he was close, too close. He could not postpone this indomitable force of pleasure anymore.

The Dragon seemed to be in an equally bad shape. Although he tried hiding it by pressing his forehead against his chest, Motochika glimpsed the flush creeping up his cheeks. And through his frenzied haze he could hear those lewd, almost whimpering sounds the Date captain was making as well. In truth, none of them were truly capable of coherent speech as the pace grew irregular and frantic. Masamune managed only a few words as they both drew impossibly close.

"Ah… yes...fuck…nh, yees…Moto…chika.."

That was enough to push the Demon of the West seas over the edge. He shuddered uncontrollably, clutching the back of the Date captain as he climaxed violently. He felt himself convulsing around the cock sheathed inside him, and white fluid squirted out of him, clouding the water. Almost simultaneously he felt warm semen spray his internal walls as Date Masamune spilled his seed inside him with one last thrust.

The world grew still as their bodies finally stopped moving. One could no longer hear the sounds of rain and water. The storm had finally ceased. The night had grown almost tranquil, but for the heaving chests and low panting of the two captains, still tangled together in the bath.

Motochika's mind was cloudy. He was not sure he was in a state where he could actually move. Then again, he was not sure he wanted to. He was feeling strangely content. The water had gone lukewarm, but Masamune's skin was still on fire against his, soft and hot and wet. Absently, he leaned his head against the other man's shoulder.

The head of Oushuu grunted something inaudible, but did not move to shove him away. Motochika figured that was as close to approval he would ever get, nuzzling the neck of the Dragon happily. To his surprise, he felt a hand coming to rest on his head, lazily stroking his damp hair as if that was something occurring on a regular basis. Almost as if that hand had always been there. Why was it, it felt like it always had? _I could get used to this, _Motochika thought, unable to repress a small smile.

"Oi, what is that bird staring at?" Masamune's voice carried a hint of annoyance.

Motochika turned his head and locked gaze with his parrot. Casually seated on the edge of the tub, the colourful bird peered straight at them with black eyes, head tilted. If one did not know better, one could almost have believed the bird looked amused.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

**. . .**

Awoken by something inexplicable, Bunshichiro sat up with a start. Around him lay his fellow comrades, a mix of Date soldiers and Chōsokabe pirates, sprawling on the ground among empty sake bottles. The man closest to him was snoring loudly, his pompadour falling miserably to the side to the point it was almost drooping. Next to him a chubby little man was sprawled on his stomach, and a larger one with pointy brown hair had obviously deemed his back fit for a pillow as he was soundly asleep on top of him. His glasses had fallen off.

Bunshichiro rose slowly, looking down on Yoshinao, Magobei and Samanosuke. _Lucky they are, _he thought, as he made his way out of the cave, trying to avoid trampling any of the sleeping men in the process. Their leader had not given _them_ any special orders, not even as much as informed them about the "incident" with the pirate captain, or the injuries Bunshichiro had been set to tend to. He was left alone with this strange secret, with strict orders not to go babbling about it.

He had a bad feeling about all of this. Something about the way the two captains had looked the previous night, apart from the general beaten-up state they were in, sent unpleasant shivers up his spine. Ever since that obstinate pirate had shown up, his captain had been acting a little weird; different in a way Bunshichiro could not put his finger on. To be perfectly honest, the two of them were rather alike, which in itself was plenty unsettling.

Once outside the dusky cave, Bunshichiro had to shadow his eyes from the strong rays of sunlight. The storm had given way for a cloudless, blue sky and the morning was filled with the cheerful sounds of birds chirping. _What's with this unusually happy setting, _the Date soldier grumbled inwardly. Had he not been the dutiful, slightly worried man he was, he could have just stayed asleep, he reflected. _But I'm me. _Sighing, he stalked off towards the smaller cave where his captain had set his private night camp.

Peering into the cave opening, Bunshichiro suddenly felt cautious for some reason. Even here, the sun shone brightly, and it created a lively pattern of shadows dancing over the grey walls. A sudden movement caught his eye as the sun rays leaped over bright yellow feathers and for a moment he froze in place.

The pirate captain's parrot was seated on a ledge on the wall just next to the cave opening, placed much like any guard would, gazing out over the valley. It did not seem to be bothered by his presence however, merely giving Bunshichiro a queer look before lazily spreading its wings, and flying into the cave.

Hesitantly, Bunshichiro followed, glancing warily about him. The bird flew low, and finally landed next to the hearth. The fire had since long gone out, but the light of day made it bright enough to discern one's surroundings anyway. Next to the burned down fire, a futon was carelessly tossed over the stony ground. Upon it lay two men, half covered by a thick blanket, sleeping deeply.

Bunshichiro's brain raced in all sorts of directions. The more his eyes adjusted to the dim light, the more incomprehensible the situation seemed to become.

His captain and the pirate appeared to be naked, which was the first absurd fact hitting him. Both were exposing bare chests, _way too much skin_ and plenty of cuts and scars they had most likely inflicted upon each other. There was also another kind of bruising, Bunshichiro noticed; scratches and small blue-reddish wounds and marks suspiciously similar to bite marks.

Then it was the position they were in. It seemed almost as if… Bunshichiro gulped. As if, his captain was sleeping in the arms of the pirate. Masamune rested his forehead in the space between the other man's collarbone and shoulder, and his arm was casually flung across his chest.

_What's going on here? _To Bunshichiro, it felt completely out of place. The One-Eyed Dragon would not snuggle up like that against another man, against _anyone,_ ever.

Yet, there he was, snoring softly with his ear against the pirate's bare chest. His tousled dark hair framed a peaceful, almost content, expression on his face. He noticed the way the Chōsokabe captain's arm was wrapped protectively around his leader's back, and something stirred inside him; whatever he was witnessing at this moment, he was not supposed to - of this Bunshichiro was suddenly painfully aware.

Edging backwards in an attempt to leave unnoticed, his boot accidently hit a rock on the ground. The low thumping sound seemed to echo in the spacious cave. His heart caught in his throat. Panicking, he glanced towards the futon.

Chōsokabe Motochika was looking straight at him. The intense, mildly threatening gaze cut sharply, telling Bunshichiro all he needed to know.

To keep quiet. To leave. To stay away.

Simple as that.

**. . .**

Masamune felt hot. He acknowledged the feeling absently as he was still drifting in and out of sleep, his mind fumbling for fleeting memories. Shifting his body, he became distantly aware of the warmth surrounding him and the soft surface he was laying on. He had no recollection of going to sleep, and no idea why he was sleeping on such a warm futon.

Or why the hell he was so aroused.

A peek from under his bangs confirmed his predicament quite quickly though, and he involuntarily squeezed his eye shut again. So, he was in the hands of the pirate. Quite literally. He felt strong fingers deftly stroking his hard cock in a slow manner.

In his state of confusion mixed with undeniable need, Masamune could not decide whether to push the other man away or to go along with it. Consequently, he pretended to be asleep. Lazily detangling himself from Motochika's grip, as if it was a sleep-oriented movement, he rolled over onto his side, so that his back was facing the pirate.

When he inhaled the cool air however, he regretted his action. Once no longer flushed against the other's body he felt cold and desperately _lacking. _The warmth the blanket brought was insignificant compared to the hot skin of the other man; besides, it covered barely half of his upper body. Any attempt to regain it now would betray his act. Masamune shuddered against his will.

A low chuckle was heard, as a pair of lips pressed against his neck. Puffs of hot air caressed his skin, and made the fine, small hairs of his back rise in silent anticipation. When the pirate shuffled closer, Masamune welcomed the warmth of his broad, solid chest pressed close against his back. As strong arms snaked around his waist, and hands resumed their slow journey down his stomach, he could not help but acknowledge the fact that he really, really wanted to be touched. _Fuck, I'm horny._

"Sleepy, aren't we?" the Chōsokabe captain murmured. Masamune cringed at the hints of amusement his voice carried, but relished in the sultry tone and the excitement it revealed. He shivered when he felt Motochika lips touch his earlobe, licking it before sucking it gently, all the while continuously breathing warmly all over his ear and neck. The tender affections the pirate paid these areas sent sweet jolts through his body which had Masamune's cock twitching; it pulsated hotly against his hand when he helplessly grabbed it.

The pirate caught his wrist in a gentle but firm grip.

"Easy, Dokuganryuu… I want to touch you."

The low-voiced demand was no more than a whisper, soft but shockingly carnal, close to Masamune's ear. Yet the sound of it seemed to ring through his entire body, causing his blood to seethe with need, and he unconsciously pressed back against the other man.

"Then fucking do it already," he growled quietly, trying hard not to let it turn into a moan. He felt needy enough as it was, and the frustration tugged at his patience.

The chuckle again, and then the pirate captain's hand finally reconnected with his erect member. Masamune could not help but gasp. Motochika knew what he did, sliding his hand along his shaft steadily. He paused only to circle the sensitive area at the tip of his cock, teasing it with his thumb, then resuming the long, firm strokes with practiced ease. The other hand roamed his body a bit less patiently, unveiling the pirate's own growing excitement, in its eager way of touching him – _everywhere. _

Masamune could feel the hard length of the pirate's erection pressing up against his lower back, all hot and pulsating. Finding the other man so aroused turned him on immensely, in a strange, breathtaking way. He felt a sudden need to grind against the other's arousal, and feel it slide along his backside. To be perfectly honest, the sensation almost had him climaxing. Painfully slow, the movements of Motochika's body and hands drove him close to insanity.

_Damn, why am I getting this hot? Is it because of him? Because I can feel him?_

The pirate's breathing was becoming a little strained, it sounded almost like gasping now – Masamune distantly noted the change. He loved it. He wanted to hear more, hear the pirate pant, and beg…

His frenzied fantasies were interrupted by a finger probing his most private area. Masamune froze. Gently circulating his opening with his index finger while still steadily stroking his cock, the pirate did not seem to notice the sudden stiffness. Masamune felt his heart racing in panic mixed with something terribly similar to lust. He was just about to turn around and push the other man away when the finger teasing him suddenly made that forceful, forbidden entry into his body.

"Wh.. aaaah! What the f… ah, why…nnnnh," he trailed off, out of breath and reason, when the finger slowly made its way up inside him, brushing this and that, coiling slightly and sliding out before being pushed back in… All sorts of odd sensations demanded Masamune's attention. As much as he wanted to focus on the resistance he initially felt, that feeling only seemed to slip out of reach as he tried to grasp it now, and he was left to deal with the non-familiar, peculiar lust connected to that part of him being played with.

He hardly noticed the second finger sliding in, lost as he was in the unbearable heat of his own want. There was this certain spot inside of him being stroked occasionally, causing him to press back against the fingers in sheer need. _Shit, it feels too good. I can't hold back._

Fingers closed around the base of his cock.

"It's way too soon for that, Dokuganryuu…" Motochika mumbled into his ear. "I want to play more"

The fingers coiled a little inside Masamune, rubbing gently before they once again started to slide in and out of him at an irksomely slow pace. The grip of his cock did not loosen. Unbridled impatience filled the Date captain's chest. He was not used to being kept back and he hated the fact that he was clearly enjoying it in all the wrong ways.

"I don't give a fuck about what you want," he snarled under his breath. "Release me."

A moment of silence, mixed with their combined ragged breathing, filled the cave.

"No."

The dragon, all raging flames and wrath, furiously threw himself at the pirate. He could not let himself be dominated by this man, this _forceful existence_, not while he was still breathing fire. His fury was met with exasperating resistance, and a will as fiery as his own. Hard, unyielding hands restrained him, holding him down as a he struggled to gain control by plain force. In frustration, and in lack of better means, he bit down hard on the pirate's shoulder, drawing blood and an equivocal moan from the silver-haired man. Masamune involuntarily bucked his hips upwards.

Next thing he knew, he was being violently pushed down, and pinned on his back. His wrists were both caught and pressed to the ground, and the Chōsokabe captain was on top of him, grinning madly. The pirate's one eye was glimmering with intense, wicked desire.

"This… is exactly why… I want to play with you so badly," he panted, not dropping his gaze.

The scent of lavender became heavy as Motochika leaned in closer and Masamune found himself once again paralyzed by that odd, not-at-all-disagreeable smell, filling his nostrils. Soft strands of white hair fell forward and brushed his cheek for the shortest of moments, creating a silver curtain between their faces and the outside world.

So the rage fell away, replaced by something Masamune did not, nor did he wish to, understand. He wordlessly reached for the other man.

**. . .**

Smashing their lips together in a wild display of impatience and pent-up desire, Motochika hardly found the time to draw breath. He simply had more important matters to attend. For this precious little shred of time, the One-Eyed Dragon was _his._ He did not intend to waste a single second of it.

Snaking his hand in between their sweaty bodies, his fingers once again wrapped around the Date captain's pulsating flesh. The feeling of it, hard and warm and wet against his hand, had him moaning into the Dragon's ear – causing the dark haired man to shudder violently under him. Motochika smirked.

"You're feeling it, hnn?" he panted close to Masamune's ear, intentionally letting his lips brush against the soft earlobe. He gave the cock a demonstrational stroke before trailing his fingers further down, circling that particular area… It was twitching slightly now, he noticed in delight. When he teasingly let his index finger slide over the opening the Dragon arched his back, as if in silent appeal. Motochika's heart suddenly pounded with hysterical force.

"Say you want it," he breathed, all too aware that he was pushing his luck.

"Hnnn… Who wants it now?" the Date captain growled, voice fearfully low. "If I wanted it, I could've just asked you whenever, dirty bastard."

Motochika could not refrain from raising his head a bit. The single eye meeting his contained nothing but the expected defiance mingled with unbound lust. Fury flashed, and passed, in the dark blue orb fixing him.

"Then why don't you ask me?"

"I don't fucking need to, do I."

No. Motochika _ached _all over_; _it was unbearable. His heart was about to beat its way straight out of his chest and his cock wept desperately as he grabbed it, positioning himself over Masamune.

"Brace yourself, Dokuganryuu…" was all he managed as he pressed forward; slowly, slowly sliding into that unimaginable heat that was the other man. The head of the Oushuu clan was breathing heavily under him, wincing at the intrusion and tensing up to the point it was painful… yet he made no further moves to get away. Once in all the way, Motochika lowered his head so that his forehead was lightly touching the Dragon's.

".. can I move?"

"Tch, don't ask pointless stuff when you've got your cock up my ass, idiot!" the Date captain hissed, annoyed and out of breath. "Just do it already."

A second, as long as a lifetime, floated by as Motochika stared down at Masamune. He desperately needed to collect the moment, he did not know why, but every physical and mental sensation came crashing down at him as if it was of mortal importance. He absorbed the image of the Dragon under him; the frown, the clenched jaw and the fire dancing in the depths of the eye. And most of all, amidst that glowering expression those signs which inevitably betrayed him; the flushed cheeks and the almost unnoticeable flicker in his eye before averting his gaze, hiding behind dark hair.

"Here goes." The words came out as a harsh whisper. The Date Captain reached for his shoulders as he slowly began to rock his hips. It was intolerably good, the feeling of pushing his cock into the tight, warm body under him. In order not to come at the spot, Motochika closed his eye, successfully cutting off the lewd vision that was Masamune's bothered face.

He could not shut out the sounds though. The low, suppressed moans the Dragon emitted went straight to his groin, and he realized he would not last long. The sensations were impossibly intense.

Leaning in to catch the other's lips again, he found the other man responding heatedly. Where there was tongue, there were teeth. In this, they were strangely compatible. Blood and saliva mixed as they crushed every normal definition of what might have been called a kiss, losing themselves in the sweet-pain-sharp- pleasure-sensations.

Motochika grabbed the hot flesh between them, stroking it rapidly as he angled his hips, intentionally aiming for the spot of pleasure he knew Masamune wanted him to hit.

"Nhhhgggh! That's… just there…I'm…I want…aaaahg…more."

Motochika lost his sense of reality and control at this, ramming away to the sound of the Date captain's uncontained voice. The cock in his hand pulsated with sudden intensity and Masamune ejaculated, spraying warm fluid all over their chests, and at the same time tightening around him… Motochika groaned loudly, unable and unwilling to hold back at this point.

The overwhelming force of the orgasm washed over him, causing his mind to go blank as the tearing sensations took him over for a moment. Every cell in his body was ablaze with tempestuous pleasure as he came hard inside the Dragon's burning body, empting himself completely into the heat. After a few final thrusts, he collapsed on top of the other man.

They lay like that for a moment, simply _breathing_, before Motochika rolled off the Date captain's heaving chest. He felt on the verge of fainting due to the intensity of the orgasm, yet he was sharply aware of his surroundings and the vehement beating of his heart. Euphoria, was it? He lay back on his back, drawing a deep breath. Masamune cast him an inscrutable sideway glance, but said nothing. Motochika could not help but notice the mild flush still lingering on his cheeks, before he turned his head away.

The pirate's heart made a little jump at this, why he could not tell, but something about the way the other man acted had him tingling with inexplicable emotions. A feeling suspiciously similar to happiness made a leaping movement down the pit of his stomach. He turned to his side and propped himself up so that he was resting on his elbow, tilting his head in his hand, regarding Masamune curiously. The sight of the Dragon basking in the afterglow of his sexual climax was quite extraordinary.

He felt his breath hitch, contemplating whether or not he was going insane. There was no denying Masamune excited him immensely, and he was quickly becoming addicted to that state of mind. He wanted it to the point he felt obliged to _follow _him, in a sense. Down the depths of hell, most likely, he reflected. Sun rays danced over the cave walls, occasionally making the Dragon's skin glow in the bright light, sweat drops glimmering.

_Hell, I'd probably come at the sheer sight of those flames, too._

"Knock it off. You're annoying," Masamune said, as if he felt his gaze upon him.

"But you're so erotic-looking right now Ryuu Oniisan… I really must watch you."

Masamune slowly turned his head, giving him a long look. An anonymous feeling flickered in his eye. It might have been amusement, thoughtfulness, a warning or something entirely different, Motochika could not tell. All he knew was that he crumbled under that look, suddenly feeling frustratingly self-conscious. He scratched his head.

"Ah, yeah as it is… I wish I was the only one who could see you like this. I thought for sure I was, but then I got to think of that prying idiot walking in this morning, looking as if he was gonna shit his pants any moment and…"

Masamune sat up abruptly.

"Wait. What. What prying idiot?"

"Hmm...what was it again… that Bunshichiro fella!"

Masamune stared at him with an unexpected deadpan expression. Then he dropped his head down his knees, groaning dejectedly. Dark, damp hair fell in unruly strands around his face. Motochika stared, a little shocked, not sure whether to laugh or to be worried. Eventually the first option bubbled to the surface. Laughter rippled his throat with unexpected force.

"Ryuu Oniisan. Your hair is a mess," he helpfully pointed out in between ragged breaths, the need to tease inescapably reaching its limit.

"…and whose fault is that?!" Masamune growled, raising his head just enough to be able to give him a menacing glare.

The pirate grinned happily. He reached out and touched the soft mess of hair, stroking some strands back from Masamunes's glowering face. Before he got the chance to slap his hand away, Motochika leaned in and kissed him on the lips, ignoring the muffled groan of disapproval from the other man.

When he pulled back, the Date captain was all scowls and red cheeks.

"Don't go do weird shit like that whenever you please. I'm not your woman."

"No." Motochika agreed. "You're my dragon."

**. . .**

**A/N:** This is the last chapter of this story. My original plan was to leave it at the point (in the anime) where Masamune and Motochika decide to hunt down Masahide together. So basically this is all happening somewhere in between the first meeting/fight *cough* and that event. It should be pretty clear where it's leading though! Imagination is a wondrous thing.

Thank you EudaimonArisornae for being such an awesome beta and support through this, sometimes draggy, process. I would not have been able to finish it without your help. Thank you Starro17, for unknowingly motivating me to write this final chapter! :P And, thank you everyone, for taking the time to read and comment on my story :]


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